Read Online Winter's Wrath: Sacrifice (Winter's Saga #3) by Karen Luellen - Free Book Online Page A

created, it still broke his heart to know he found and lost the most precious people he would ever have the honor of knowing. 
    Without realizing he was doing it, Creed began rubbing his chest where the pain of heartache was the most piercing.  The irony hadn’t been lost on him to know he had the “gift” to turn off his pain—but it only worked on physical pain.  Nothing could ease his breaking heart.
    Nothing except, Meg, he whispered to himself, even as he ducked out of sight. 
    “Hello, little b rother ,” a voice hissed from behind him.
    Creed spun mid - step to see Gavil standing, arms folded, lips sneering.  Flanking him twitched six hulking metasoldiers who gave off seriously unhinged vibes.  Creed realized his moments of nostalgia staring at the taillights of the people he considered his family had cost him dearly.  He was outnumbered and caught completely off guard.  And besides that, it looked to him as though he was the only sane person around. 
    Crap.
    “Poor little Creedy,” Gavil cooed, “Did they leave you all alone to die?”  He shook his head in feigned pity. 
    “Leave them out of this, Gavil.  I have what Williams wants,” Creed blurted, his mind working to formulate a plan even as he spoke.
    “He wants them,” Gavil nodded toward the road.
    “He wants the serum, and I have it.”  Creed pulled his shoulders back and stepped closer to the seven soldiers.
    “You expect me to believe they gave it to you ?” he spat, pouncing forward to grab Creed by the shirt, yanking him to stand nose to nose. 
    “They trusted me to destroy it.   Right leg pocket.  See for yourself.  They left me with the remote detonator.” Creed forced himself to hold still under his brother’s hatful glare.
    “Oscar,” Gavil barked right into Creed’s face, spewing foul breath, “check his pocket.”  Gavil’s order was obeyed immediately when a hulking soldier stepped forward and ripped the Velcro closure on Creed’s camo fatigues with his meaty hands.  He yanked out a small black box with a simple key pad and metal antenna. 
    “Looks like a remote, sir,” the mutant metasoldier growled.
    Without releasing Creed from his face-to-face venomous stare, Gavil yelled to another, “Gideon, check him for weapons.”
    Out of the corner of Creed’s eye, he saw another muscle-headed soldier walk toward him.  Creed was slapped and shoved as the guy disarmed him. 
    “Well, well.  The director is going to love seeing you again, but I figure he can wait a few extra minutes,” Gavil nearly glowed with sick excitement.  “Hold him!” he ordered.
    Two of his minions hurried to take Creeds arms.
    “You have to know you’re going to die today, Bleedy Creedy.  I have my orders.” Gavil rolled his neck, causing cracking sounds that echoed through the stillness of the tropical surroundings.  The little brother watched with weary eyes that had seen hundreds of beatings, but this time his abuser hesitated.  A darkness shadowed Gavil’s face for a moment and he held perfectly still as if listening to something whispered across the room.
    Oscar and Gideon exchanged itchy looks over Creed’s head, but they’d seen how unpredictable Gavil had been and didn’t want to speak up to question his hesitation.  Instead, they shifted their weight nervously, readjusting their grips on the younger brother’s biceps positioning him for the beating Gavil had planned, and waited.
    “Canon!” Gavil barked at a metasoldier behind him. 
    “Sir!” The huge soldier stepped forward awaiting orders obediently.
    “I’ve kicked his ass more times than I care to count.  Maybe he needs to hear it from someone else.  He’s all yours.  Just don’t kill him—Williams wants him alive —for now .” Gavil narrowed his eyes at his little brother.  If Creed weren’t so concerned about the hulking rabid dog sneering his joy at being chosen to proceed with the pounding, he may have noticed the torn expression on